True happiness

While the Potion Warriors were stirring up trouble, a team set out from Partington and headed south via a teleport array.

The infrastructure in the south is better than other places, and cement roads have long become the main roads here, so the speed of travel is much faster.

When the team arrived at the southern city of Ya'an, the first snow began to fall.

The tiny snowflakes sparkled white and melted into the warm ground as soon as they fell. The south was always the last place to snow, and the air was moist and cold.

The carriage drove quietly into the city gate, and Mason opened the curtains of the carriage.

Cement buildings lined the roadside. Local craftsmen combined them with the local favorite round roofs to form mushroom-like huts. Residents dressed in linen clothes, carrying baskets and backpacks, came and went. It was very lively.

There were many mutants. They were used to using the monsters' bodies as part of themselves. Mason watched with interest as a craftsman carried his tool bucket on his tail. Another girl had wings on her back and flew to the rooftop, holding a lunch box in her arms.

On the cement road, buses and bicycles can be seen from time to time. Residents stand on the platform waiting, and the typical Western faces and unique platform design make Mason feel familiar yet strange.

Ya'an City has developed very well, and it is quite different from the city in his memory. The carriage stopped at the gate of the Earl's Mansion, and the servant opened the curtain for Mason. As soon as he got off the carriage, he saw Ya'an standing at the gate.

After not seeing him for a while, the Earl has not changed much. Today he is wearing a fur-collared coat with a fox-white cloak. His hair is neatly combed. Fine snow falls on his shoulders. I don't know how long he has been waiting here.

Mason hurried over and asked: "Why are you out so early?"

Seeing Mason, Yaan first bowed, then smiled and said, "Nice to meet you again, Your Excellency the Duke. I received the news that you were coming back, so I waited here."

Mason's heart trembled slightly, and he said hurriedly, "Don't be so polite. In my heart, you will always be an elder. I'm sorry to trouble you today."

Ya'an then stood up, doing it perfectly from a courtesy point of view. Looking at the person in front of him, he looked a little nostalgic.

When he first met him, he was only looking after the younger generation for Abner's sake, but now the younger generation has achieved far more than him and has become the youngest duke in history.

It seems a little inaccurate to call him a teenager now. Compared to that time, he has truly grown into a man.

He couldn't help but feel proud of his old friend: "You have grown up, Abner will definitely be very happy."

Mason smiled and said, "Thank you for your care all along. I wouldn't be where I am today without your help."

"You have earned all this with your own strength. I have heard a lot about you. It must have been a tough journey. I have prepared a bedroom for you to have a good rest."

Yaan didn't care, but Mason knew how much help he had received from the other party. It can be said that his initial contact with the Luo family was inseparable from Yaan. In many subsequent matters, the earl also gave him a lot of help. Mason always remembered it in his heart.

The Earl made an invitation gesture, and Mason followed him inside. The layout of the Earl's mansion had not changed much from before. The falling snow covered the roof and the courtyard, and was swept clean by the early-rising servants, revealing a neat path.

Mason walked side by side with him on the road, and suddenly remembered something: "Lord Ya'an, are you coming to Xincheng to participate in the Edelweiss Festival this year?"

"The Edelweiss Festival? I heard it's a festival specially held in New Town. Will Abner and the others also participate?"

"Yes. They came back from the north just to attend this year's Edelweiss Festival."

"That's really rare. I haven't celebrated a festival with them in many years. When we were clearing monsters in the north, the army would distribute some comfort food every festival. Abner thought it was not enough, so he would always go hunt some game himself. Unfortunately, there is nothing to eat in the black fog, so he can only hunt monsters at most."

Ya'an smiled, with a regretful tone in her voice.

"That sounds good, but I have other things to do. If you don't mind, just give me some edelweiss when the time comes."

"no problem."

They turned the corner, and the servants they met on the road saluted them one after another. Mason suddenly remembered the first time he came to Ya'an City.

At that time, he was still wearing Aurelius's vest. The red-haired young man walked into the reception room carelessly, and the people around him looked at him with disgust and vigilance. But now, all of them knelt down and showed great respect.

Snow fell all over the place, and Mason let out a breath.

He seemed to understand why the church was clinging to the name. Power is so intoxicating that even if one is not aware of it, one will adapt to it unconsciously.

Seeing his expression, Earl Yan smiled and said jokingly, "Your becoming a duke has brought too much impact to the territory. They probably haven't built a residence that matches your status yet, and they are now in a state of panic."

"Those are external things, they are not important. The most important thing for us now is to build our territory."

The linen-haired boy said calmly, seemingly not caring about it. Ya'an observed him carefully, and felt that the man in front of him was really different from the past. If Mason was a child before, he now had the spirit to become a leader.

He was happy about this, but also a little worried.

"It's a good thing that you think this way. Only when a lord truly cares about his people will they follow him willingly. This is a necessary quality for a leader. But from the perspective of the townspeople, your idea is dangerous because you don't give them the opportunity to repay you."

"A chance to repay me?" Mason repeated the words with a hint of doubt in his eyes.

He doesn't want any reward, and never wants to rely on this to gain anything. Everything he does is out of his own desire. For this, Mason is willing to pay a lot, and the reward he wants is already in his hands.

Ya'an took in his expression and softened her tone.

"Don't underestimate these things. Only when you are loved enough will the people want to give you the best things from the bottom of their hearts, instead of fighting for them with power. A king must be loved by his people before he can sit on the throne."

Speaking of this, the count sighed lightly, looking a little melancholy as if he was thinking of something.

"In fact, you are now in contact with some noble families with better conditions. The Round Table families all have the most basic qualities. Even the original Second Family - you probably haven't come into contact with it. They were expelled before you joined the Association. But even at its peak, they were just a bit ostentatious. You haven't come into contact with those real rotten people yet."

"They use the territory's supplies as tools for their own entertainment. Once they have a territory, they will stop making progress. I have personally executed many nobles who relied on their power to do evil. The management of the association has always been lax, and they only need to fulfill their responsibility of clearing monsters. As a result, many villains have been bred. Not everyone can become a strong person. Even if they become a strong person, they will fall into depravity as soon as they start to slack off."

"I've seen too many people like this. Mason, you have to remember this. Don't be the one who falls."

Yaan had seen so many things along the way. Compared with him, the new duke was still very immature. Therefore, Yaan became more and more worried.

He didn't want the other party to be blinded by power, nor did he want this promising young man to fail halfway. The worry in his words reached the young man's heart, and the latter readily agreed.

"Thank you for your teachings. I will keep them in mind."

Ya'an waved his hand and said, "No, it's just a boring experience. From now on, I'll have to rely on you to take care of me. After all, your territory is very close to mine. The affairs of the church have an impact on all places. Fortunately, the Mechanical City has produced a large number of purification devices, which has brought the pollution under control."

Despite saying this, Ya'an's face did not show much joy, but instead looked solemn.

Mason said, "You don't look happy."

"I'm just a little worried. Although the church has many problems, there is no doubt that they are the indispensable backbone of mankind. Once I leave the church and rely solely on human equipment, I am very worried that the mechanical disaster will happen again. That will be a real disaster for mankind today."

"What we need to do now is to prevent this possibility, right? Please don't worry. Since the Mechanical Engineer is willing to bring out this machine, he must have taken corresponding precautions."

"I hope so... I'm sorry, it's a happy thing that you're back. But I complained to you all the time."

"I'm glad to hear this. On the other hand, you may have begun to feel that I'm a reliable person, so you are talking to me so much."

"Yes, you have become a reliable person."

Yaan stopped and opened the bedroom door for Mason. Mason knew this place. This was a special bedroom built for distinguished guests. Yaan smiled and said, "You can rest here tonight and leave for the new city tomorrow."

Mason responded. Yaan gave him some instructions about dinner and then left, leaving him alone.

Only then did Mason let out a long breath. The fact that Yaan was waiting at the door in person had given him a great shock. Before this, he had no idea of ​​his current power. He had been busy with work and devoted himself to the battle with the Monster Lord.

But now, Ya'an's small action made him truly realize what it means that time waits for no one.

He still cares about Mason, and the two are not alienated. But there is indeed a distance between them. Mason finds it difficult to explain how he feels now, but he just feels that he understands the jokes he saw on the Internet in his previous life.

[“We are brothers for life! We will be together for the rest of our lives!”]

【“Why did you bring a gift when you came? Come in and sit down.” “Mr. Wang, this is a small token of my appreciation. Please don’t think it’s too little.”】

“Puff.”

He was amused by his own imagination. Mason threw himself heavily into the bed. The soft blanket immediately engulfed him like a soft cloud. Fatigue gradually flowed out of his body, and Mason closed his eyes.

No wonder history always says that emperors will always live a lonely life. It really makes sense when you think about it.

But this is not what he wants. Mason rarely thinks about his last life. Compared with his last life, his life as Mason seems to have become a more real existence for him.

Whether it was because the Monster Lord took away his other half of his essence, or because he got used to the life here, Li Xinyang had become a man from his previous life, and in this life he was Mason Cross.

He has a pair of parents who care about him and some good friends. He has never regretted walking on the path he believes is right. He has done some things that make him proud and does not deny that he has ambitions.

But ah, but.

At the end of this road, he didn't want to be a hero like Christine, shining brilliantly, admired by everyone, creating an epic, a myth, sitting high on the throne like a vest, enjoying eternal faith and loneliness.

Mason said to himself softly in his heart.

Yes, I also want to be truly happy.